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By definition, leaders are expected to provide direction to other
people. In the business world, many leaders spent the majority of
their time fielding questions from their employees; all day,
people come to them looking for answers to problems.

But doling out answers like that might be stunting your staffers'
ability to think for themselves, says Mark Sanborn, president of
Sanborn & Associates Inc., a Lonetree, Colo.-based leadership
development firm. Leaders shouldn't pretend to always have the
right answers, because they don't. Instead, "leaders ask the
right questions and know where to find the best answers," he
says. If your employees keep asking you the same questions,
you're doing something wrong.

Leaders themselves should be the most curious and questioning
people of all. Think of yourself not as a guru but as a seeker.
"Without questioning and curiosity, leaders simply manage by
using familiar answers long after the marketplace has started
asking different questions," Sanborn says. More: 7 Leadership Lies
You Need to Stop Believing

Instead of giving advice, help people problem
solve.
When asked for help, most of us are inclined to impose our
opinion on the other person, to try to persuade her that our way
is the best way. But that doesn't help the person become a better
decision-maker. "Sometimes, having a 'good impact' involves
deliberately opting not to persuade," says Reeshad Dalal, a
psychologist at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., who
studies decisions and advice. Try to guide the person through the
problem-solving process you would use to reach a decision. Talk
it out with them. With any luck, you'll have helped your friend
or mentee to build decision-making muscles that will serve him
well in the future. More: How to Give Great
Advice

Fitness is a powerful networking tool.
Burning a few calories with someone can be a relationship
builder. "A lot of barriers break down when you're working out
with somebody," says Elizabeth Robinson, a personal trainer in
Philadelphia and the creator of VitFit, a mobile app for creating
custom workouts. That's good news for fitness-conscious
entrepreneurs, as it means that staying in shape can help you
network or maintain existing business relationships. You'll see a
more personal side of someone on the rowing machine than you will
at a café table. More: 7 Ways Exercising
Can Make You a Better Entrepreneur

Try to integrate your goals with those of other
people.
Putting yourself first is an essential component of achieving
your goals, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the needs and
desires of others, says Jason Womack, founder of The Womack
Company, an Ojai, Calif.-based productivity-training firm. Find
ways to integrate your desires with those of others for mutual
benefit. Womack uses an example he got from Nilofer Merchant at
this year's TED Conference: If you want to take a walk during
lunch for health reasons, and someone needs a few minutes of your
time, simply invite her to join you in the walk. Then you both
get what you want. More: Your Secret to
Success? Be More Selfish

Make a weekly 'money date' with yourself.
Financial planning isn't just for the wealthy. No matter your
socioeconomic status, you should spend regular time thinking
about your finances, says Brittney Castro, the founder and CEO of
Financially Wise Women, a Los Angeles-based financial planning
firm for women. She recommends setting aside at least one hour a
week for your finances. Make it a recurring date, so that you can
make financial planning a consistent habit. Review your budget,
pay any pressing bills that aren't set up for automatic payments
and update your financial goals. "Make your money dates as
enjoyable as possible -- listen to music, dance, light candles or
do anything else that makes the personal finance process fun for
you," Castro says. "The more fun it is, the more likely it is
that you'll continue to do it." More: 5 Steps to Take
Control of Your Personal Finances